Email management or lack thereof is sometimes the bane of the business owner’s existence. Email is an ideal form of communication and in some cases can save a lot of time and back and forth on the telephone. Email is also an ideal way to have a history of project timelines and tasks.

Here are tips for taming your email inbox:

Set aside time a couple of times a day to go through your inbox. Don’t get distracted by incoming messages while you’re working on something else.

Delete emails you’re done with. If there are those that go back and forth, keep only the latest one.

The subject line should match the content of the message.

Only “handle” an email once. If you’re reading it, then respond to it. Don’t file emails until you have responded to them.

Don’t use “reply all” messages unless it truly is necessary for everyone to reply.

If the dream of being your own boss is one that you have had for a while. What’s stopping you? Is it the staggering amount of information that’s out there? Is it because you don’t know exactly what you want to do?

In my coaching practice I work with both long-time and first-time entrepreneurs and here are some factors I’ve found to be true in many cases:

Don’t get sidetracked. It’s easy to do if you don’t have a clear focus and a business plan to keep you on track and focused. Don’t say “yes” to opportunities that simply don’t suit your overall business model.

If you don’t focus on your area of expertise you likely won’t succeed. Spend your time and energy on your area of expertise and outsource those items that you simply aren’t great at or that will cost you more money to complete than if you hired someone.

You’ve probably heard the phrase “fake it until you make it” and that means you can “fake” a large office and “fake” that you’re working with a team. Work on a shoestring and spend only what you need to while you’re in start up mode.

It’s sometimes hard to get motivated especially in the triple digit heat of an Arizona summer. Keep in mind though that chances are your competition isn’t taking the summer off. They are moving forward with business plans and business growth.

If summer has traditionally been a time for you where you kick back and take time off, I urge you to at least do undertake these five summer business strategies:

Make certain your website is mobile friendly. Having a mobile friendly website is critical to business success and that isn’t something you want to let go until autumn arrives.

Make note of your top prospects and then reach out and contact them. If you’re in a lull — whether self imposed or actual — they may be as well and might welcome a call from you.

Look at your marketing materials and start now to think about what you might offer or change up for the upcoming holidays. If you need new peripheral materials, now is the time to look at that so you can get the designing and printing underway before the rush of the season is upon you.

Update and review your business plan. We’re now more than through the half way point of the year and you should be making certain you’re on target with the goals you set at the beginning of the year.

Take on a project you’ve been dreading. We all have them and they aren’t going to miraculously go away. Work on it in bite sized chunks and get it taken care of this summer.

Procrastination is the killer of productivity. That makes sense, right? Did you realize though that over the past 30 years the number of self-proclaimed procrastinators has quadrupled? Procrastination, in so many ways, can drain your energy and can also assist you in sabotaging your entrepreneurial success.

Can you obliterate procrastination from your business and personal life? I believe you can. I also believe it will take effort and it’s not something you can put off any longer! Here are some steps you can take, beginning today, to give procrastination the boot:

Hone your to-do list down to no more than five items a day. If you get through those, fantastic! Add on a few more.

If an item on your to-do list is involved (building a new website, writing a book, etc.) then break that item down into smaller increments. Scale the mountain one step at a time!

Get better at your self knowledge and pay attention to those times and those tasks that put you into procrastination mode. If you can uncover what pushes that button you may be able to find ways to overcome it.

Acknowledge that procrastination is present in your life and then give yourself a pat on the back when you make it through your list

Reward yourself for making it through your list. Reward yourself for a job well done. Don’t beat yourself up when you procrastinate, instead look for the root cause.

If you find yourself being overwhelmed by activities, to-dos and by a general feeling of “I don’t know where to start.” Give us a call or leave a comment because our business coaching service could help you get past that and moving forward on your entrepreneurial path.

As entrepreneurs, regardless of our niche area, we are all sales people. It’s true. Without making a sale how would you be in business? Whether you’re a dog groomer, pool service contractor, blogger, or an accountant you need to sell to remain in business.

Here are my tips for using your personality to make that sale:

Be who you are. Don’t try to be someone you’re not just to close a deal. Being authentic is critical in today’s competitive business environment.

Be happy. If you love what you do, this will shine through in your interactions with clients and potential clients.

Encourage others. When you’re making a sale the product or service you’re offering will in some way enhance the client’s life or business, right? Use that as a way to encourage them to reach higher levels of success.

There are myriad other items that go into being a stellar salesperson and I’d be happy to talk with you about this and about ways you can grow your business through your sales processes. Give me a shout if you’d like to learn more!